Despite recent changes, Sounders' frustrating season continues

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SEATTLE (AP) — It should have been a celebration for the Seattle Sounders. Instead, more frustration.

New coach in charge. New star player in the lineup. Same disappointing result.

"We thought we deserved more. We had our chances. It's been somewhat the same story this whole year," Seattle's Cristian Roldan said.

Roldan scored his second goal of the season in the 49th minute to give Seattle the lead, but a defensive miscue late allowed Los Angeles' Sebastian Lleget to score the equalizer in the 78th minute as the Sounders and Galaxy finished in a 1-1 tie.

Seattle was in position to get the victory in the debut of interim head coach Brian Schmetzer, taking over this week after the club and MLS victory leader Sigi Schmidparted ways. Yet the frustrating season for the Sounders (6-12-3) continued after missing numerous chances to put the game away in the second half.

"I have absolutely no complaint about their commitment to the game, it's just we need to score the second goal, the third goal, the fourth goal," Schmetzer said. "It's not good. We're all frustrated."

The past week was a tipping point for Seattle, the start of a makeover to try and salvage a season that's been far below expectations. The biggest move was the decision to move on from Schmid as the man in charge.

Sunday was Seattle's first game in franchise history without Schmid as the head coach. Schmid was appointed to navigate the franchise through its infancy beginning with its expansion season in 2009, but the relationship reached a breaking point this season with the Sounders slogging through the worst four months in club history and culminating with last Tuesday's decision between Schmid and the club to part ways.

Schmetzer said it was a little strange not to have Schmid's voice on the sideline. Los Angeles coach Bruce Arena was highly complementary of Schmid and what he's brought to soccer in the United States.

"We've temporarily lost one of the great people in the game in this country," Arena said.

Seattle was on the verge of giving Schmetzer a victory in his debut. Roldan's goal was his second of the season off an assist from Nelson Valdez. But Seattle's defense that broke down in the closing minutes, allowing a chipped pass by Steven Gerrard to find Lletget unmarked at the back post to tap in his first goal since Aug. 23, 2015.

Seattle missed out on a needed three points in its attempt to get back into the playoff race in the Western Conference, but came away hopeful about what newly signed designated player Nicolas Lodeiro can provide. Despite arriving in Seattle on Tuesday, Lodeiro was the best player on the field. His playmaking created numerous chances for others and he nearly scored three times in the second half, his last chance a deflected shot that forced Los Angeles goalkeeper Brian Rowe to make a fingertip save.

Los Angeles defender Jelle Van Damme also saved two shots off the goal line, one in each half. Van Damme denied Clint Dempsey's shot in the first half then raced back on stuff Jordan Morris' shot in the 70th minute after Morris was sent free on a pass by Lodeiro and dribbled around Rowe.

The Galaxy (9-3-9) came away with a point despite playing without U.S. national team midfielder Gyasi Zardes, who missed the match with a strained chest muscle.

"For us to sneak out of here with a point, we're not looking back. We're getting out of town real quick, and we're not looking back," Arena said.

Earthquakes 1, Dynamo 1

HOUSTON (AP) — Chris Wondolowski volleyed home Cordell Cato's chip pass in the 59th minute and the San Jose Earthquakes held on for a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo on Sunday night.

Wondolowski scored for the first time against his former team (2006-09) and joinedNew England's Kei Kamara as the only players to score against 21 different MLS teams. The goal also marked the end of Houston's franchise-record 550 minutes without a goal allowed at home.

Alex opened the scoring for the Dynamo (4-9-8) with a left-footed strike in the second minute of first-half stoppage time. Alex's goal stopped Houston's 405-minute scoring drought in all competitions.

San Jose (6-6-9) remained winless on the road in 2016 at 0-5-6.

Sporting KC 1, Timbers 0

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Jacob Peterson scored and Benny Feilhaber had an assist to help Sporting Kansas City beat the Portland Timbers 1-0 on Sunday.

Peterson flicked a header, off a free kick by Feilhaber, to the bottom-right corner in the 50th minute.

Alec Kann made a diving stop of a strike by Darlington Nagbe — Portland's only shot on goal — in the 10th.

The Timbers (7-8-8) had chances in stoppage time. Jack McInerney blasted a right footer from the left side of the box off the crossbar in the first minute, and Fanendo Adi's header, off a cross by Vytautas Andriuskevicius, from the right side of the 6-yard box missed wide right about three minutes later.

Sporting (10-10-4) has won two in a row and five straight at home.

Portland has lost two straight after an nine-match unbeaten streak.

Kansas City's Jimmy Medranda earned and fifth yellow card and will be suspended for Sporting's next match, Aug. 7 at Portland.

FC Dallas 2, Whitecaps 0

Acosta buried a right-footer in the bottom-right corner off a feed from Michael Barrios in the 56th minute. Three minutes later, Urruti slipped behind the defense and beat goalkeeper David Ousted from the corner of the 6-yard box, set up by Atiba Harris' feed from midfield. It was Urruti's sixth goal of the season.

Dallas' Chris Seitz had one save and has seven shutouts this season, tied with Luis Robles of the New York Red Bulls for most in MLS.

Vancouver (8-9-6) is winless in its last three matches.

FC Dallas (13-6-5), which outshot the Whitecaps 16-6, is unbeaten in its last three games and has just one loss in its last seven. It leads MLS with 44 points.

Impact 1, D.C. United 1

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hernan Bernardello scored in the 86th minute to give the Montreal Impact a 1-1 tie with D.C. United on Sunday night.

Bernardello, who signed with Montreal (7-5-9) on July 24, came on for Kyle Bekker in the 71st. His goal, off a feed from Matteo Mancosu, was his first in MLS play. He played 28 combined matches for Montreal in 2013 and 2014.

Patrick Mullins bounced a header, off the entry by Taylor Kemp, off the ground into the top-right corner in the 19th minute. It was the first goal of the season for Mullins, who was acquired from New York City FC on July 20.

United (5-8-8), which outshot the Impact 16-8, is winless in its last five games.

Montreal has just one loss in its last nine matches (3-1-5).

The Impact's Didier Drogba received a red card in the 81st minute.

Red Bulls 2, Fire 2

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (AP) — Bradley Wright-Phillips volleyed home Connor Lade's cross in the 90th minute to give the New York Red Bulls a 2-2 tie with the Chicago Fire on Sunday night.

The Red Bulls (9-9-5) took the early lead when Chicago's Matt Polster scored an own goal in the 16th minute, attempting to clear away Mike Grella's cross.

David Accam tied it for the Fire (4-10-6) with a low shot from behind the penalty arc in the 35th minute. Polster made it 2-1 in first-half stoppage time, scoring his first career MLS goal on a header off John Goossens' cross.

Real Salt Lake 2, Union 1

CHESTER, Pa. (AP) — Joao Plata and Javier Morales scored on well-placed shots early in the second half and Real Salt Lake beat the Philadelphia Union 2-1 on Sunday night.

Plata tied if for RSL (9-6-7) in the 48th minute when he one-timed Demar Phillips' lay-off and clipped the underside of the crossbar from behind the 18-yard box. Morales made it 2-1 six minutes later with just enough loft on his chip shot to get past the leaping and outstretched hand of goalkeeper Andre Blake.

Roland Alberg opened the scoring for the Union (8-8-6) with a penalty kick in the 44th minute. C.J. Sapong drew the penalty against Aaron Maund, and Alberg drilled it past RSL's Nick Rimando into the left corner.

Rimando had a couple of saves in the 89th minute to preserve the win for Real Salt Lake.

Orlando City 3, Revolution 1

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Kevin Molino scored twice and had an assist to help Orlando City rally for a 3-1 victory over the New England Revolution on Sunday night.

Molino headed home a cross from Brek Shea to give Orlando City (5-5-11) a 2-1 lead in the 64th minute.

Kei Kamara broke free on a breakaway and put away a feed from Kelyn Rowe to give New England (6-8-8) a 1-0 lead in the 19th.

Cyle Larin tied it in the 46th minute, first-timing a pass from Molino to the far post. Larin, who scored an MLS rookie-record 17 goals last season, has 11 goals this season — tied for third in MLS.

Molino put away a feed from Ricardo Kaka in the 83rd. It was his third goal in the last two matches and ninth this season.

Orlando, which won for the first time since a 3-2 victory over Toronto on June 25, ended a five-game winless streak.

New England had its three-game unbeaten streak snapped.

Toronto FC 3, Crew 0

TORONTO (AP) — Tsubasa Endoh and Sebastian Giovinco score in the first half and Jozy Altidoreadded a late goal in Toronto FC's 3-0 victory over the Columbus Crew on Sunday night.

Endoh opened the scoring for Toronto (9-7-6) in the eighth minute when a shot from Giovinco deflected off his back, which provided a spin that threw off Columbus goalkeeper Steve Clark.

Giovinco scored in the 24th minute. He passed to Canadian midfielder Jay Chapman, continued his run, got the ball back from Chapman and hit the ball with the outside of his right foot past Clark's outstretched right hand.

Altidore, who came off the bench in the second half, had his 87th-minute shot deflected by Columbus defender Michael Parkhurst for his first goal of the season.

The victory gives Toronto the Trillium Cup, an in-season competition between the two teams that acknowledges their geographical proximity, after TFC and Columbus (3-9-10) had drawn their previous two meetings this season.

Named after the plant that's both the official flower of Ontario and the state wildflower of Ohio, the Trillium Cup heads north of the border for just the third time in the nine years it has been contested.

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